Screven County commissioners approve off-agenda motion to buy three used fire trucks; purchase to be readdressed

Screven County commissioners voted April 12 to purchase three used fire trucks from Monroe County at $4,900 apiece, but the board acknowledged the motion was off the meeting agenda and the decision will be reconsidered.

The motion to buy the trucks using Contingency Funds was moved by Commissioner Warren and seconded by Commissioner Edwin Lovett. Chairman Will Boyd, Commissioner Rosa Romeo and Commissioner John O. Triplett voted in favor; Commissioner Allison Willis and Commissioner Mike Dixon opposed. The motion carried by majority vote but, because the purchase was not listed on the published agenda, the board stated the motion “cannot stand” and agreed to discuss the matter at a later date.

The item as presented to the board did not include additional procurement details such as vehicle condition, mileage, warranty or delivery timeline; those specifics were not specified in the meeting record. The purchase would be funded from the county’s contingency account, according to the motion language recorded in the minutes.

Commissioners who opposed the motion did not state recorded reasons in the minutes; the transcript notes only their votes. The board took no final procurement action on April 12 and left next steps to a future meeting where the item can be placed on the agenda for formal consideration.

The county clerk’s minutes list the motion as carried by majority vote but also record the procedural determination that the off-agenda motion cannot proceed. The board did not adopt a contract or make any payment on April 12.

The issue will return to a future meeting for formal consideration with notice on the agenda, according to the board’s statement at the April 12 meeting.